Key-punch slotting machine



April 6, 1948. N. s. WELK 2,439,030

KEYPUNCH SLO'I'TING MACHINE Filed June 14, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

NELSON S. WELK wl akyw A T TORNEYS April 6, 1948. N, s, w

KEYPUNCH SLOTTING MACHINE F'iled June 14, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. NELSON S. WELK MMEMEEEE HHH FHHQLJHQHHHH HH H . ""f'fllflllll. if I I I I my, ATTORNEYS April 6, 1948. N. s. WELK KEYPUNCH SLOTTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 14, 1945 NELSON S. WELK I l J...

A 7 TORNEYS Patented Apr. 6, 1948 .xnr-rtmcn SLOTTING mom Nelson 8. .Welk, Athens, Ohio, alllnlor to The Melee Company, Athens, Ohio, a corporation Application June 14, 1945, Serial No. 599,404

This invention relates to machines for notching the marginal edges of cards, checks and the like.

In general, cards or checks of the marginal punched type are provided with a series of periorations adjacent one or more edges of the card. These perforations are arranged into fields, each field designating units, tens, hundreds, etc.

These perforations are designed and located so I that the material of the card or check which intervenes between the perforation and the marginal edge of the card may be entirely punched out or slotted away. One type of card of the character referred to has been provided with two parallel rows of holes adjacent the card edge which are slotted for classification by. notching certain of the holes of the outermost row and certain of the holes of the innermost row out through the card edge. This construction permits the passing of a sorting rod or needle through the perforations, and on manipulating the needle, the cards which have not been slotted through at the selected perforation will remain on the needle, while those which have been slotted will detach from the needle. The perforations are, of course. evenly spaced apart along the edge of the card.

It is the principal object of my present invention to provide a simple and efllcient machine capable of selective key operation to slot cards and the like of the double marginal row type, by means of which machine the holes of both rows in the card edge may be slotted out to the edge after selection in a single operation.

One form which the invention mayassume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a machine embodying the preferred form of my in vention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section through the punch bar and the crosshead and the reset member, showing the manner in which the latter resets the punch actuators at the end of the punching strokeof the crosshead. i

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in perspective, illustrating the type of card to be slotted by my improved machine and showing the manner in which the machine slots the same. I

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in plan section taken on line l4 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal sec- 8 Claima. (Cl. 164-412) tion through the frame of the machine. showing certain of the mechanism in endelevation.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentaryview in plan section taken on line 6-8 of Fig. 5. r

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in longitudin section through certain of the operating mechanism of the machine, showing the reset member in position to enable repeated successive operations of the machine and showing the punch actuated for shallow slotting with the operating mechanism of the punch conditioned for shallow slotting.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section and in perspective, showing certain of the operating parts of the machine and particularly disclosing the mounting of the punch actuators and the dies.

Fig.9 is a view similar to Fig. 7 except that it discloses the operating mechanism conditioned to effect deep slotting by the punch.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view in plan section taken on line Ill-ill of Fig. 1.

b Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the reset mem- Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, l0 indicates a card slotting machine. The type of card to be slotted by the present machine is illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, where it is seen that it is provided with two parallel rows of perforations 1 which are spaced apart, equal distances longitudinally of the card. The holes are in alignment on a line extending perpendicularly to the edge of the card, as illustrated. I

In order to effect classification of this type of card by slotting, it is necessary to slot out certain of the perforations of the outermost row to the edge of the card, as indicated by the numeral 8, which will be termed herein as shallow slotting," and to slot out certain of the perforations of the innermost row to the edge of the card, as

' indicated by the numeral 9, which will be termed herein as deep slotting. Therefore, herein the term shallow slotting will be referred to as meaning slotting out one of the perforations of the outer row to the edge of the card. whiledeep slotting is .intended to mean slotting out a per- .foration from the inner row through the edge of hole. The width of the slot is equal to the diameter of one of the perforations or punched holes in the card. Ordinarily, the perforations are spaced apart longitudinally on the card four to the inch. However, I am aware that other spacings may be used. The present machine, however, has been designed for spacing of the order mentioned. A.

The machine It includes a suitable frame including end frame members ll disposed at oppo-.

site ends of the machine. Rigidly fixed to the end frames II and consequently forming a part of the frame of the machine is a longitudinally extending anvil l2 which, of course, is horizontally disposed. The upper surface i4 of the anvil i2 constitutes a card receiving surface upon which a card to be slotted may be disposed in flatwise position. This card receiving surface I4 is extended horizontally outward from the anvil by means of a plate II relatively fixedto the frame of the machine and to the anvil. This plate I! is of sufficient dimensions to permit a card or sheet to be operated upon by the machine to be disposed flatwise thereon.

overlying the anvil I 2 is a punch guide bar It which is clamped to a pair of rigid crosshead guides I I which are fixed to the anvil i2. The lowermost edge of the punch guide bar I 6 is spaced above the card receiving surface 14 in order that a card to be slotted may be inserted between the punch guide bar It and the surface l4 on theanvil.

Relatively fixed to the anvil i2 and projecting vertically therefrom is the pair of rigid crosshead guides l'l, one being disposed adjacent each end of the machine. -'I'hese cross-head guides I! extend perpendicularly with respect to the;card receiving surface I4 and the anvil l2. The punch guide bar It is rigidly fixed to the cross-head guides as shown.

Mounted for vertical reciprocation on the cross-head guides I1 is a cross-head l8 which extends longitudinally of the machine. This cross-head i9 is so mounted on the guides I! that it will reciprocate toward and away from the anvil l2 in a direction perpendicular to the card receiving surface l4. The cross-head I 9 is,

of course, disposed in parallelism to said surface i4.

Formed in the punch guide bar i6 is a plurality of punch guide sockets I 9 spaced apart equal distances and arranged in side by side relation longitudinally of the guide bar It. In each punch guide socket I9 is reciprocably mounted a punch 29 guided by its socket I9 for vertical reciprocation. The direction of reciprocation of the punches 20 is perpendicular to the card receiving surface l4.

Associated with each punch 20 and complemental thereto is a die 2|. Each die 2| is arranged in vertical alignment with its associated punch 29 and guided for vertical reciprocation in a die socket 2la formed in the anvil i2. A spring-pressed plunger 22 is provided for each die member 2| which normally maintains the upper end of the die 2| flush with the card receiving surface i4. Precise alignment is maintained by cooperating shoulders 23 in the die socket Ma and on the dies 2|.

It will be noticed that the punching end of each punch 29 is stepped to provide two longitudinally and laterally offset punch faces 24 and 25. The punch face 24 cooperates witha complemental die opening 24 formed in the end of the die 2|. This opening 29 extends a short distance longitudinally of the die 2!. When the punch face 24 cooperates with the die opening 29 to effect slotting of the card, the punching will discharge laterally of the die opening 28.

The punch face 24 of the punch 29 is spaced a distance from the punch face 25, which is greater than the thickness of a card. However,

the punch face 28 also acts as a male slotting die which cooperates with the upper end of the die socket 2la in effecting deep notching, such as shown in Fig. 3, when the punch 29 is to be actuated to effect deep slotting.

Associated with each punch 20 is a punch actuator" which is reciprocably mounted transversely of the cross-head it in a socket 49. There is, of course, one actuator 35 for each punch 29 in register therewith. Each actuator is provided with two punch engaging abutments or faces 31 and 99 for engaging the uppermost end of its associated punch 20. These faces or abutments 31 and 28 are relatively offset, both longitudinally of the actuator 35 and transversely thereof, and each is adapted to engage the upper end of the punch, depending upon the longitudinal position of the actuator 24.

Each actuator 35 is formed with a-cam face 39 complemental to a cam face 40 on a reset member 4i. As will be explained further on herein, these complementai cam faces 29 and 40 are for the purpose of resetting the actuators. The reset member is mounted on the punch guide bar it and connected thereto by two screws 42. These screws are fixed in the punch guide bar and project through cam slots 42 formed in the reset member. By shifting the reset member 4i endwise to place the screws at one end 44 of the cam slot, its cam face 49 will be positioned to reset the actuators. By shifting the reset member endwise so that the screws engage the opposite ends 45 of the cam slots. the cam face 40 will be ineffective to reset the actuators and so repeat operations may be had of a single setting of the machine.

It should be stated that in normal position the actuators 35 areineffective to actuate the punches 20 to slot a card. When properly set, it is the actuator faces or abutments 31 which actuate the punches 20 to cause their faces 24 to shallow slot a card, while it is the actuator faces or abutments 39 which actuate the punches 20 to cause their faces 25, as well as the faces 24, to deep slot a card.

The frame of the machine includes a keyboard 46 through which a plurality of key stems 41 vertically project so that the key tops 48 thereon are disposed vertically above the keyboard 49. There are two sets of keys, one set A for deep slotting and one set B for shallow slotting. That is, there are two keys for each punch actuator. There is associated with each actuator two key levers 49 and 50. There is a key stem 4'! and a key top 48 for each of the key levers 49 and 59, and the key stems 41 are connected to the key levers 49 and 59 as illustrated in the drawings. This connection is such that depression of a key stein 41, by depressing the key 48 thereon, will swing the associated key lever 49 or 59 downwardly, in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1, about its pivotal point. Pivoting of the levers 49 and 50 is accomplished by extending a rigid rod 52 between the end frames, upon which rod the key levers 49 and 59 are pivoted.

Each of the key levers 49 and 50 of each set is formed with an integral actuator arm 53 which extends vertically at the rear of the cross-head it. These actuator arms 53 are in register with their respective actuators 35 for indexing or setting the same.

A transverse stop member 54 is provided for limiting the amount of movement which may be imparted to the key levers 43 and 50 by means of the keys. The movement of the key levers 49 is greater than those 50. This is so that by operating the levers 49, the actuators 35 will be set to operate the selected punches 20 to eflect deep slotting, while operation of the levers Sit-will set or condition the actuators 35 to operate the punches 20 to eifect shallow slotting.

Therefore, it is seen that when keys remain undepressed, the associated punches 20 are not actuated by associated actuators 35. However, when the key lever 50 of any selected punch is depressed, the abutment or face 38 of the associated actuator is registered with the upper end of the punch 20, and upon operation of the crosshead, the punch 20 is moved downwardly a distance only sufficient to cause the male punch face 24 thereof to cooperate with the die'opening 26 and die socket 21a to effect a shallow slotting of the card.

When the key of a lever 49 is depressed, the associated actuator 35 is set so that its face 31 registers with its associated punch 20, and upon operation of the cross-head, the punch is moved downwardly a distance sufllcient to cause the punch face 25 to effect deep slotting of the card.

In this latter slotting operation, the punch face 24, of course, first shallow slots the card and immediately thereafter the punch face 25 cooperates with the upper end of the die socket Zia to normal position, the spring-pressed-plungels 22 will return the dies 2| to normal position. The

punches '20, of course. will return to normal position by the upward movement of the cross-head l8 due to cooperating shoulders 55 on the crosshead and the punches. Y

To place the motor in operation I provide a motor key 56 also projecting through the keywill all be 'in normal position, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. In this condition the operating faces 31 and 38 thereof will be out of register with the associated punches 20, so that,

in the event the circuit of the motor 63 is closed, the cross-head ill will descend but the punches will not be actuated in that the cross-head l8 will merely lower on the punching stroke relative to the punches 20. I

It should be pointed out here that associated V with each actuator is a spring-pressed friction and effects the deep slotting. During this latter 1 slotting operation, the die 2| is depressed in its socket 2la against the action of the springpressed plunger 22. However, the die 2!, because of the plunger 22, will follow the punch upwardly upon the return movement of the latter until its upper end is flush with the surface [4.

For operating the cross-head I8, I have provided an operating shaft 55 which is disposed longitudinally of the anvil l2 in parallelism therewith and rotatably mounted in journal arms 56 formed as a rigid part of the anvil l2. At each end of this shaft is a crank arm 51, which crank arms are fixed on the shaft 55and their outer ends are connected by links 58 to the ends of the cross-head l'8, so that oscillation of the shaft 55 will efiect vertical reciprocation of the crosshead 18.

To operate the shaft 55 to efiect the punching operation, it is fitted at one side of the frame with an operating lever GI. This lever BI is connected to a crank 62 operated by an electric motor 63. This motor is fitted with a conventional automatic clutch and cut-out so that when its circuit is completed, the crank 62 makes one complete revolution and stops, and the motor circuit is opened. Such a motor is common and well known in the oflice machine industry and, therefore, is not illustrated or described in detail.

The crank 62 is connected by a connecting rod 64 to the outer end of the crank lever 6|, so that operation of the motor 53 will, through the crank 62, oscillate the crank lever GI and thereby oscillate the shaft 55 to operate the cross-head through its cycle of operation. The first half of the cycle of revolution of the crank is suflicient to turn the shaft 55 about its axis to effect the punching operation. The second half of the crank cycle will return the cross-head to normal position. During the return of the cross-head plunger 35amounted in the cross-head l8. These friction plungers 35a act to yieldably maintain the actuators 35 in a set condition within their sockets 36. 1

If it is desired to slot acard, the card is positioned flatwise on the operating surface 14 of the anvil l2, with its edge abutting against a longitudinal guide member 69 which is fastened on the underside of the punch bar It, as illus- ,trated in the drawings.

Suitable guide means is provided to enable the card to be so positioned longitudinally on the anvil that its perforations or punched holes will be in vertical alignment with the die sockets 2m and the punches 20.

If itis desired to produce a shallow slot to indicate a classification in the card, the appropriate key of the key group B is depressed, which depression will actuate the associated key lever 53 so that its actuator bar or lever 53 will move its cooperating actuator 35 transversely of the cross-head l8 a distance only sufficient to enable the actuating face 38 of the actuator 35 to engage its associated punch 20. If it is desired on the same operation to deep-slot a second classification into the card, the appropriate key of the key group A must be depressed. This key, through its key stem 41,. its associated key lever 49 and actuator lever 53, conditions its associated actuator 35 so that the operating face 31 thereof will overlie the cooperating punch 20. During this time, of course, the cross-head is at its uppermost end of its stroke. The motor key 66 is then depressed which will close the circuit of the motor 53, causing one complete cycle of operation of the crank 62. During thefirst half of the operation of the crank 62, swinging movement in one direction will be imparted to the crank arm 5|, partly rotating the operating shaft 55.

ment of the le'vers 51 which, through the links 58, will pull the cross-head l8 downwardly through its punchingstroke. During the second half of the cycle of the crank 62, reverse swinging movement will be imparted to the crank arm 6|, returning it and the shaft 55 to normal posi- The- .turning movement of this shaft will be translated into swinging moveaesaoao 7 tion. This latter movement will, of course, retract the cross-head to its original or normal position through the crank arms 31 and the links 58.

On the down or punching stroke of the crosshead the actuator 35, which was conditioned for shallow slotting, will move a distance downwardly before its face 38 engages its associated punch so that its associated punch 20 will only be moved downwardly a distance suillcient for the punch face 24 to punch a shallow slot in the card, as shown in Fig. 7. However, in the case of the actuator which was conditioned to eflect a deep slot, the abutment face 31 will move its associated punch downwardly so that that punch will be given a full stroke and be moved downwardly suiliciently so that both punch faces 24 and 25 will be projected through the card. effecting a deep slot, as shown in Fig. 9. During the latter operation the associated die 2| will be pressed downwardly sufficiently to enable the punch end or face 25 to cooperate with the die socket Ila and effect the punching.

As the cross-head l8 moves upwardly on its return stroke, the plunger 22 will return the die 2| to normal position. Likewise, on its upper stroke, .the cross-head will return the punches to their normal position.

Assuming that a repeat operation is not desired, the actuators 35 that had been conditioned to effect punching will be returned to normal position by means of the cooperating cam faces 39 and 40. It will be seen from Fig. 2 that just prior to the cross-head reaching the lowermost end of its stroke, the 'cam face 33 engages the cam face 40 on the reset member 4|, which engagement causes endwise movement. of the actu ators 35 to an extent that when the cross-head reaches the lowermost limit of its punching stroke, the actuators 35 have been reset to their normal position. Under such clrcumstances,.the reset member 4| is in an endwise position where the screws 42 are engaged with the ends 44 of the cam slots 43. If, however, it is desired to slot a number of cards with the same classification after the appropriate keys have been depressed, the reset member 4| is shifted longitudinally so that the screws 42 engage the ends 45 of the cam slots 43. This moves the reset member 4| laterally outward with respect to the actuators 35 and cross-head II a sufllcient distance so that the cam faces 39 of the actuators will not engage the cam face 40 of the reset member 4|. Due to the friction plungers 35a. the set actuators will retain their set position so that it is only necessary to successively position the cards which are to be slotted alike and place the machine in operation by means of the motor key 86 to successively slot any number of desired cards with the same slotting classifications.

When it is desired to recondition the machine for changing the classification, it is only necessary to shift the reset member 4| longitudinally so that the screws 42 again engage the ends 44 of the cam slots 43 which again places the reset member 4| in effective position. To return the levers 49, 50 and 53 to normal position, I provide a pair of crank arms III which are mounted on the operating shaft 55. The ends of these arms are connected together by a longitudinal bar 1|. When the motor 63 has commenced to drive the cross-head through its punching stroke, turning normal position. This movement of the actuat ing levers II, of course. will be transmitted to the levers 49 and I0 and to the key stem 81, returning all of these associated parts to normal position.

I prefer that the crank arms 10 be yieldably attached to the shaft 55 and such attachment is accomplished by means of springs I2.

It is seen from the foregoing that as many classifications can be slotted into one card edge as are provided for on said card edge by punched holes. In doing this, all of the selected keys are depressed to condition their associated actuating bars 35. After such conditioning,the motor key 86 is actuated to cause the machine to operate through its cycle of operation, simultaneously effecting slotting, whether deep or shallow, of all of the selected classifications.

From the foreging, it is obvious that I have provided a very simple but very effective and efficient machine for selectively slotting cards of the edge-punched type.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that various ch'anges may be made in its construction by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. I l

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine of the character described, a plurality of functionally integral slotting punches having two relatively offset slot punching portions, normally ineffective operating means for said punches, and selective means for conditioning said operating means to operate selected punches.

2. In a machine of the character described. a

plurality of functionally integral card slotting punches having two longitudinally offset slot punching portions, means for receiving and positioning a card to be slotted by said punches, means for operating said punches, selective means for conditioning said operating means to operate selected punches to slot the card by one or both of said punching portions.

3. In a machine of the character described, a plurality ofunltary slotting punches capable of punching slots of two sizes in a card, means for receiving a card and positioning the same to be slotted by said punches, means for operating said unches, said means being normally ineffective to operate said punches to slot a card operatively positioned with relation thereto, separate selective means for conditioning said operating means to render the same effective to selectively operate said-v punches to punch a slot of each selecte size in said card.

4. In a machine of the character described, a plurality of functionally integral slotting punches capable of punching slots of two sizes in a card, means for receiving a card and positioning the same to be operated upon by said punches, means for operating said punches, said means being normally ineffective to operate said punches to slot a card operatively positioned with relation thereto, selective key operated means for conditioning said operating means to operate selected punches to punch a slot of a selected size in a card. a

5. In a machine of the character described, a

' plurality of unitary slotting punches capable of movement of the operating shaft I8 swings the arm 10 in a direction that the bar II will engage the actuating levers I3 and move the same to punching slots of two sizes, in a card, separate key operated means operatlvely associated with said punches and selectively operable to render said' punches effective to punch slots of each size in a card, and means for operating said selected punches.

6. In a machine of the character described, a

plurality of functionally integral slotting punches having two slotting faces, means for operating said punches, said means normally ineffective to operate the same, key operated means for selectively conditioning said operating-means to render the same effective to operate selected faces of selected punches to slot a card.

7. In a machine or the character described, a plurality oi unitary punches capable of performing two diiferent card slotting operations, separate key conditioned means for selectively operating said punches to perform each of said slotting operations.

8. In a machine of the character described, a

a 10 plurality of timctionally integral slotting punches arranged in line formation, means for receiving a card with one edge in register with said punches, said punches being capable of actuation to perform either of two slotting operationaoperating means for operating said punches, and key con- REFERENCES crrnn The following references are'ot record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Welk et al. Nov. 24, 1936 Number 

